Comic storage supplies - when did long boxes first appear?

[comicwiz]

shad, if you happen to see one listed, please update this thread with a link to the listing or an image. I'd love to see what they look like.

[jools&jim]

 

shad, if you happen to see one listed, please update this thread with a link to the listing or an image. I'd love to see what they look like.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MARVELMANIA-STERANKO-Silver-Age-Supergraphics-MediaScene-Comic-Collector-Box-HTF-/171679347243?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27f8e2f22b

 

 

[Prince Namor]

A typical magazine type file box held about a year's worth of the publication. Sterenko early comic boxes only held about 25 comics, fewer if you put in Annuals. They still pop up on eBay from time to time.A large lot of flat, undistributed boxes turned up a few years back. There were several different types.Most of the ones I've seen feature renditions of Marvel characters. They would have been useless for dealers trying to display books at a show.

 

I still have some of these in my store, but for some reason not on eBay. These are someone else's pictures, but this is the item.... I'm going to see Steranko on Friday, I should get him to sign these!

 

[comicwiz]

These are cool - thanks for the shares.

 

When were these made? They look like they were made more recently than the 70's.

[towards2112]

Chiquita Banana boxes were my go to box in the 1960's. They were a top grade

cardboard with a flat interior bottom, a very stout lid, and finger holes on each

end of the box. They were about 14 inches deep, 16 inches wide, and 13 inches

long. Perfect size to lay down two stacks of books. When we moved back to

Texas from Ohio in 1970, I entrusted 16 boxes full to the B&O Railroad, and then to

the ATSF . When my uncle and I picked them up here in Houston, the railway

hands thought it peculiar that I had shipped bananas from Ohio. And they had the

string ties on top to secure the lids to the boxes. Great memories !

[jools&jim]

 

These are cool - thanks for the shares.

 

When were these made? They look like they were made more recently than the 70's.

Pretty sure that these illustrated Steranko boxes date from the the mid-'70s at the latest. But, being primarily a mail-order item, and lacking "direct market" distribution channels, they probably didn't sell all that well, which is why there are still pristine "new old stock" examples out there today which haven't been assembled.

 

[jools&jim]

 

Chiquita Banana boxes were my go to box in the 1960's. They were a top grade

cardboard with a flat interior bottom, a very stout lid, and finger holes on each

end of the box. They were about 14 inches deep, 16 inches wide, and 13 inches

long. Perfect size to lay down two stacks of books. When we moved back to

Texas from Ohio in 1970, I entrusted 16 boxes full to the B&O Railroad, and then to

the ATSF . When my uncle and I picked them up here in Houston, the railway

hands thought it peculiar that I had shipped bananas from Ohio. And they had the

string ties on top to secure the lids to the boxes. Great memories !

Ain't nuthin' more old school than that!!!

 

 

[ttfitz]

Chiquita Banana boxes were my go to box in the 1960's. They were a top grade

cardboard with a flat interior bottom, a very stout lid, and finger holes on each

end of the box. They were about 14 inches deep, 16 inches wide, and 13 inches

long. Perfect size to lay down two stacks of books. When we moved back to

Texas from Ohio in 1970, I entrusted 16 boxes full to the B&O Railroad, and then to

the ATSF . When my uncle and I picked them up here in Houston, the railway

hands thought it peculiar that I had shipped bananas from Ohio. And they had the

string ties on top to secure the lids to the boxes. Great memories !

Ain't nuthin' more old school than that!!!

 

 

Chuck's story of the Church collection mentions "chicken boxes", a similar sounding item for holding his comics.

[comicwiz]

Chiquita Banana boxes were my go to box in the 1960's. They were a top grade

cardboard with a flat interior bottom, a very stout lid, and finger holes on each

end of the box. They were about 14 inches deep, 16 inches wide, and 13 inches

long. Perfect size to lay down two stacks of books. When we moved back to

Texas from Ohio in 1970, I entrusted 16 boxes full to the B&O Railroad, and then to

the ATSF . When my uncle and I picked them up here in Houston, the railway

hands thought it peculiar that I had shipped bananas from Ohio. And they had the

string ties on top to secure the lids to the boxes. Great memories !

 

Great story - thanks for sharing! (thumbs u

[towards2112]

Chiquita Banana boxes were my go to box in the 1960's. They were a top grade

cardboard with a flat interior bottom, a very stout lid, and finger holes on each

end of the box. They were about 14 inches deep, 16 inches wide, and 13 inches

long. Perfect size to lay down two stacks of books. When we moved back to

Texas from Ohio in 1970, I entrusted 16 boxes full to the B&O Railroad, and then to

the ATSF . When my uncle and I picked them up here in Houston, the railway

hands thought it peculiar that I had shipped bananas from Ohio. And they had the

string ties on top to secure the lids to the boxes. Great memories !

Ain't nuthin' more old school than that!!!

 

 

Chuck's story of the Church collection mentions "chicken boxes", a similar sounding item for holding his comics.

 

Chicken boxes were strictly verbotten in southern climates. My grandad

was a meat cutter here in Texas, and we always had tons of chicken boxes

to store things in. They were usually three layers of HD cardboard, but they

were heavily waxed with olefin type waxes. Nice hot Texas afternoon and your

paper products became waxed paper products. Which were great for waxing

down the shiney metal slide in the back yard, and watching as your kid sister

would burn her bum on it.

[Moondog]

John Ruffner and his partner at the time in Crack Comics, Dave Kosinski, went into the box business in the late 70s, but it was short lived. I don't recall their doing anything to improve the existing product at the time.

 

The real breakthrough came when Capital City got into supplies big time. They were able to buy right and pass the savings on to their accounts. Their famous ad of the 250 lb warehouse worker standing in a box that was positioned off the ground - without it bending or folding - was genius. They also started purchasing ComiCovers from me in the early 80s eventually buying over 400 million bags...

[comicwiz]

John Ruffner and his partner at the time in Crack Comics, Dave Kosinski, went into the box business in the late 70s, but it was short lived. I don't recall their doing anything to improve the existing product at the time.

 

The real breakthrough came when Capital City got into supplies big time. They were able to buy right and pass the savings on to their accounts. Their famous ad of the 250 lb warehouse worker standing in a box that was positioned off the ground - without it bending or folding - was genius. They also started purchasing ComiCovers from me in the early 80s eventually buying over 400 million bags...

 

Thanks Moondog

 

Any chance you or anyone has that ad of the warehouse worker standing in the box?

[Moondog]

John Ruffner and his partner at the time in Crack Comics, Dave Kosinski, went into the box business in the late 70s, but it was short lived. I don't recall their doing anything to improve the existing product at the time.

 

The real breakthrough came when Capital City got into supplies big time. They were able to buy right and pass the savings on to their accounts. Their famous ad of the 250 lb warehouse worker standing in a box that was positioned off the ground - without it bending or folding - was genius. They also started purchasing ComiCovers from me in the early 80s eventually buying over 400 million bags...

 

Thanks Moondog

 

Any chance you or anyone has that ad of the warehouse worker standing in the box?

 

I don't have ready access to the ad, but it ran in the Buyer's Guide for months (years?) probably circa '82-'83. It's possible it ran in Overstreet too. I will check mine.

[shadroch]

As Gary sold over four hundred million bags, and was far from being the only wholesaler, is it a stretch to think there may be well over a billion bagged comics out there?

[ttfitz]

As Gary sold over four hundred million bags, and was far from being the only wholesaler, is it a stretch to think there may be well over a billion bagged comics out there?

 

Doncha know, everyone switches 'em out every 2 or 3 years, right?